Wood-fiber-cutting machine.



PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903. G. E. LE CLAIR} WOOD FIBER CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. 1903.

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THE NORmS PETERS co. PNOTD-LITHOY. WASHINGTON, u c

PAT'ENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

' G. E. LB CLAIR. WOOD FIBER CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.- 1903 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 24, 1903'.

PATENT OFFICE.

WOOD-FlBER-CUTTING MACHINE. A

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,204, dated November24, 1903. Application filed March 21, 1903. Serial No. 148,954. (Nomodel.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. LE CLAIR,

a citizen of the United States, residing at vention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention has reference to wood-fibercutting machines of the kindemployed for cutting fiber for wall-plaster; and the invention consistsin the construction of the machine and in the combination of partsthereof substantially as shown and'described, and particularly pointedoutin the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine,and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is'a longitudinal sectionalelevation on a line corresponding to 0000, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4. is an endelevation of the machine looking toward the right, Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

In the machine thus shown, A represents a suitable frame of therequisite size and strength to carry the operating parts, and Brepresents a gang of saws which are now common in this art and aresupported in fixed bearings 1) upon the main frame A. The sawshaft 2extends beyond frame A at one side and carries a drive-pulley 3 and aworm 1 between the said pulley and frame A lengthwise of the shaft andwhich serves as a medium for communicating power thence to other partsof the machine. Power-transmitting shaft has a Worm-gear c, which mesheswith-worm 4 beneath the same, and power is communicated thence to shaftsD, E, and F, respectively, as will now be seen. Thus shaft 0 has a wormc, Fig. 1, which is engaged by a worm-gear 5 on the extremity of shaft Doutside of frame A, and within frame A, fixed upon shaft D, are threeseveral difierential gears 6, 7, and 8, with spaces between them,relatively as, shown in Fig. 2. Speed-regulating shaft F in like mannercarries three several and differential gears 10, 11, and 12,respectively, which are secured upon or rigid with a hub 13, common tosaid with any one of the three several gears 6, 7,

and 8, according as greater or less speed of shaft F is desired. Thusgear 6 is small as compared with gears 7 and 8, and gear 10, which isadapted to mesh with gear 6, is 0011- siderably larger than either gear11 or 12 on the same shaft. Hence if gears 6 and were in mesh shaft 11would be revolved at the lowest speed arranged for in this mechanism andthe greatest speed would be obtained between gears 8 and 12. Alever 15is provided to slide hub 13 with its gears right or leftto make anydesired gear connection with drive-shaft D, and when one set of gears isin mesh the others, of course, are out of mesh, and all may be thrownout, if desired, by carrying the splined gears to the left sufficiently.In this manner I govern not only the speed of shaft F, but the speed ofthe mechanism which. is rotated from said shaft and for which the saiddifferential-gear mechanism is especially designed. Hence I provideshaft F with sprocket-wheels 16 and 17, respectively, on its endsoutside of frame A, and a chain G runs over wheel 16 and a larger wheel18 on shaft E, Fig. 1, while chain H is engaged over sprocket 17 andsprocket-wheel 20 on short shaft J at one side of the machine forrotating log L. Thus chain G serves to operate the mechanism for feedingthe log downward toward the saws, while chain H serves to rotate the login respect to the saws, and in this manner the feed of the log, bothdirectly and rotarily, is automatically controlled. Now, following theselines of feed mechanism, it will be seen that there are on each side ofthe machine'two fixed parallel but inclined guide and supporting rods 20and 21, connected across their top by a piece or part 22, and thelog-centering supports 24: and 25, which engage the log at itsdiametrical center, are

carried centrally in bearing-blocks 28, which are adapted to slide upand down upon guides 20 and 21. The said bearing blocks or pieces have'the requisite depth vertically to make a firm threaded engagementtherewith of feed-v screws 30, one at each side of the machine, and bothsaid screws are threaded alike and operate so as to make certain anduniform downward feed of the log. These screws have beveled gears 31 attheir top, meshing with like beveled gears 32 on shaft E, so thatuniform operation of these parts is thereby assured.

The rotary feed of the log to the saws is controlled throughcentering-shaftJ and sprocketwheel 2O thereon, as already indicated, and

thus it will be seen that both feeds are given their proportionate speedaccording to their respective connections with shaft F.

Now it is desirable when a log is placed in position that all the partsshall be first arranged to receive, the same with as much accuracy aspossible, according to the size of the log in cross-section. It will beunderstood that the sizes vary considerably-say from seven to fourteeninches-and so it is advantageous for centering a log to determine inadvance the positions of the parts which are to support the log by thesize thereof before placing the log in position. To these several endsand also to handle the log easily I provide a rocking or rotatablecarrier supported upon a transverse shaft N, provided with a handle aand supported in the bottom of frame A, approximately near its center.The carrier for the log consists in this instance of two arms 34 and asubstantially V-trough 35 of a sufficient length to support the log uponsaid arms, and the said carrier through its shaft and controlling-handleis adapted to be swung up into log-supporting position,Fig. 3, when thelog is being placed for cutting, and down out of way, relatively as seenin Fig. 1, when the log has been placed on its end supports. A pair oftracks or rails 37 is shown, over which the log is rolled to the carrier35 and received thereby, and the distance the carrier is to be rotatedto the right can be accurately determined in advance of receiving thelog when the size thereof is known by swinging the carrier inward andnoting its position by the lingerpoint 39 on the graduated are 38. Then,again, the log-carrying bearings 28 may be raised or lowered before thelog is brought to place by screws 30 and their right position for agiven size of log fixed by finger and graduating-marks m on rod 21.

What I claim is- 1. In a wood-fiber-cutting machine, a sawcarrying shaftand a drive-pulley thereon for the entire machine, in combination with acounter-shaft and a worm-gear-driving connection from the saw-shaft tothe said counter-shaft comprising a worm-thread on the saw-shaft,substantially as described.

2. In a wood-fiber-cutting machine, means for regulating the speed ofthe feed of the log comprising a drive-shaft and a driven shaft anddifferential gears on both said shafts, and means to move one set ofsaid gears axially on its shaft to make engagement with the oppositeset, substantially as set forth.

3. In a wood-fiber-cutting machine,a powerdriveu shaft and a series ofdifferential gears fixed thereon, and a counter-shaft having dif-'ferential gears splined to slide thereon and adapted to mesh with thegears on the said driven shaft, in combination with a log-supportingmechanism having one shaft to rotate the log and another shaft to raiseand lower the same, and power connections between said shafts and thesaid counter-shaft carrying the slidable gears, substantially as setforth.

4. In a wood-fiber-cutting machine, means for bringing a log to acentered position in the machine, comprising a rocking carrier tosupport the log, substantially asset forth.

5. In a wood-fiber-cutting machine, a track on the machine for rollingthe log upon, and a rotatable carrier for the log at the end of saidtrack, substantially as set forth.

6. In a wood-fiber-cutting machine, the main frame and a track to rollthe log upon, and a rotatable carrier at the end of track, incombination with centering and supporting mechanism for the log abovesaid carrier, substantially as set forth.

7. In a Wood-fiber-cutting machine, a set of vertically-adjustablebearings for a log and centering-points in said bearings, in combinationwith a rocking carrier to support the log and enable thecentering-points to be fixed therein, substantially as set forth.

8. In a wood-fiber-cutting machine, a set of bearings to carry the logand inclined guides upon which said bearings are adjustable, means onsaid guides to indicate the elevation of the bearings, a rocking carrierfor the log, and an indicator connected therewith to denote the degreeof rotation for different sizes of logs, whereby the centering mechanismfor the log and the measure of rotation of the carrier therefor may bedetermined in advance of placing the log, substantially as described.

9. In a wood-liber-cutting machine, a series of saws, in combinationwith means to support and rotate a log comprising upright supports ateach side of the machine, verticallymovable spindles to carry the log onsaid supports, and screws to raise and lower said spindles,substantially as set forth.

10. The machine having a series of saws, in combination with fixeduprights at each side of the machine, spindles to carry the log,bearing-blocks supporting said spindles and slidable upon said uprights,and a screw connected with each of said blocks to raise and lower thesame, substantially as set forth.

1 1. The machine havinga series of saws and uprights at each side,spindles to carry the log and bearings for said spindles slidablyengaged upon said uprights, screws to raise and lower the said bearingsmeans to rotate said screws simultaneously, and means to vary the speedof such rotation, substantially as set forth.

12. The machine havingaseries of saws and uprights at its sides, incombination with ver- ICO tically-slidable supports for the log on saiduprights, screws to operate said supports, a rotatable shaft and meansthereon to turn said screws, and a Variable-speed mechanism to rotatesaid shaft, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of a series of saws and log-supports adjustable upand down in respect to the saws, a speed-varying mechanism adapted toraise and lower said supports, and

a separate line of power-driven connections to 10 rotate the log,substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand to the foregoing specification this 6th day of March,1903.

GEORGE E. LE CLAIR.

Witnesses:

R. B. MOSER, R. ZBORNIK.

